The Belgian Carnivale

Belgian White beers are by far my favorite beer. I love the way they taste and are quite refreshing on a warm February day here in Southern California. Traditionally these beers are made with wheat and barley. So when constructing this cocktail I wanted to be able to highlight the flavor profile of not only the beer but the whiskey as well. Enter Makers Mark. The mash bill for Makers Mark has no rye in it; instead, they use red winter wheat and, of course corn. This combination gives the bourbon a different flavor that pairs exquisitely with Belgian White beers. I chose Blanche de Chambly as my Belgian White beer. It has spicy notes that blend quite well with the agave nectar in the cocktail.

As I stated in the last post, living in Southern California gives me a chance to work with produce from all over the world. One of my preferred fruits in season right now is the cherimoya. The ones I use are from South America. Mark Twain called the cherimoya “the most delicious fruit know to man.” It is white in color and has an almost sherbet-like texture inside.

Building this cocktail can be a little taxing, because of the cherimoya. No muddling is needed because of the fruits softer texture. Lemon juice provides the citrus boost to balance out this libation. When building: put all ingredients in the tin and then shake vigorously with ice. Double strain the cocktail with a Hawthorne and a chinois strainer. Garnish with the skin of the cherimoya.